The present invention is in the field of Internet-capable appliances and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for configuring such appliances for Internet access and use by dial-up connection to a configuration server.
In recent years the information and data network known commonly as the Internet, together with advances in computer hardware and software, has led to a new multi-media telephone system known in the art by several names. In this relatively new systemology, telephone calls are simulated by multi-media computer equipment, and data, such as audio and or video data, is transmitted over data networks as data packets. In this application the broad term used to describe such computer-simulated telephony is Data Network Telephony (DNT).
For purposes of nomenclature and definition, the inventors wish to distinguish clearly between what might be called conventional telephony, which is the telephone service enjoyed by nearly all citizens through local telephone companies and several long-distance telephone network providers, and what has been described herein as computer-simulated telephony or data-network telephony (DNT). The conventional system is familiar to nearly all, and is the system most people have installed in their homes, through which they typically communicate with the outside world. In this system calls are made by dedicated connection, and are switched by dedicated connections.
The computer-simulated, or DNT systems, are familiar to those who use and understand computer systems. Perhaps the best example of DNT is telephone service provided over the Internet, which will be referred to herein as Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT), by far the most extensive, but still a subset of DNT. DNT is a term used to describe basically any type of packet switched network whether public or private. Examples of DNT networks include the public Internet, Intranets, private company owned wide area networks (WAN""s), and so on. These DNT networks may operate using several differing or combined protocol, but generally are supportive of DNT.
Both systems use signals transmitted over network links. In fact, connection to data networks for DNT such as IPNT is typically accomplished over local telephone lines, used to reach such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The definitive difference is that COST telephony may be considered to be connection-oriented as previously described. In the COST system, calls are placed and connected by a specific dedicated path, and the connection path is maintained over the time of the call. Bandwidth is thus assured. Other calls and data do not share a connected channel path in a COST system. A DNT system, on the other hand, is not connection oriented or dedicated in terms of bandwidth. That is, data, including audio data, is prepared, sent, and received as data packets. The data packets share network links, and may travel by varied and variable paths.
Recent improvements to available technologies associated with the transmission and reception of data packets during real-time DNT communication have enabled companies to successfully add DNT, principally IPNT capabilities, to existing CTI call centers and home-site locations. Such improvements, as described herein and known to the inventor, include methods for guaranteeing available bandwidth or quality of service (QoS) for a transaction, improved mechanisms for organizing, coding, compressing, and carrying data more efficiently using less bandwidth, and methods and apparatus for intelligently replacing lost data via using voice supplementation methods and enhanced buffering capabilities.
One category of relatively new products which may be considered Internet appliances is the category of Internet-capable telephones, also called WEB phones, which operate on the Internet typically without an intervening computer connection. Such telephones have internal computer elements and software or firmware for accessing the Internet and operating on the Internet in DNT communication.
Another category of Internet communication appliances comprises video-phones, wherein a real-time view of the callers is mutually available. These are also Internet appliances. Beyond these communication devices, there are also many other devices (palmtops, laptops, desktop computers, personal organizers, personal digital assistants, and the like, all of which are Internet-capable, and are therefore Internet appliances. Also known to the inventor are appliances, that depart from such an information appliance model, but are devices that can enhance their functionality by being connected.
These Internet appliances are typically used connecting directly by COST phone line to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, communication centers employing these devices may also be linked to sub-networks, including private networks that are linked to the Internet. In some situations, private individuals maintain such appliances in either stand-alone form or linked to their PC""s or other suitable servers, routers etc. Also, other media of linking, to the Internet can be found, such as XDSL (X[=any type of] Digital Subscriber Line), power lines, cable modems, wireless networks, satellite networks, laser networks, fiber optic networks etc. Such Internet appliances typically contain at least some elements or aspects of a WEB browser and e-mail clients as well as data communication capability (telephony). Other Internet appliances are designed for recreational use such as WEB TV. However, due to an Internet connection, IPNT and e-mail capabilities are still possible with the appropriate software.
An issue that remains problematic for users employing such Internet-capable devices (Internet appliances) involves often lengthy and tedious set-up operations that must be performed before first time use and operation of the device. For example, WEB TV(trademark) and AOL(trademark) offer proprietary set-up regimens, but provide access only to high-cost and proprietary networks. Even so, setup can be lengthy requiring passwords, configuration path verification, server identification, and other information. Often, the appropriate protocol specific to a network must be configured for multi-capable devices. In addition, using the proprietary network adds cost to the user. Moreover, a user who moves, or is traveling, may be required to repeat many set-up operations each time he plugs in at a different location in order to verify his account or configure the device at a different origin number.
In addition to multiple steps required to set-up network appliances, software generic to such appliance such as program applications, ISP software, mail box applications, network drivers, etc. must be properly installed and configured for each appliance. A typical user, who may be reasonably computer literate, often experiences much difficulty installing and configuring such software. Sometimes lengthy calls to service centers are required for a user to gain additional instruction not provided with a purchased application. For a user who is not computer-savvy, the task is impossible, and typically must be farmed out to a high-priced consultant.
What is clearly needed is a system including apparatus that allows a one-touch transparent set-up and configuration process that does not require much more than a user ID and account number or credit card number to successfully configure an Internet appliance. Such a service would extend the market for Internet appliances considerably, bringing the advantages of such devices to more people, and the cost could be kept also to a minimum.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a system for configuring Internet appliances, comprising a server having a connection to a network; a data repository accessible by the server, and comprising data related to Internet appliances to be configured; and control routines for configuring Internet appliances via the network connection. Upon receiving a request from an Internet appliance via the network connection the control routines consult the database for correct procedure, and interact with the appliance via the network connection to configure the appliance for Internet access and operation.
In a preferred embodiment the network connection comprises a COST network. Also, in some embodiments dial-up server further comprises an Internet connection, and information from the Internet is used in configuring Internet appliances. In typical embodiments the control routines in the server interact with compatible control routines pre-programmed in the Internet appliance during configuration.
In another aspect of the invention an Internet appliance is provided, comprising a network connection port; and pre-programmed configuration routines, including a network destination address. Upon connection to the network and initiation by the user the appliance initiates, via the network destination address, a communication with a configuration server connected to the network, and interacts with compatible routines executing on the server to configure the appliance. In this embodiment the network may be a connection-type telephone network and the destination address is a telephone number. Also, the telephone number may be unique to the type of Internet appliance, and may be used by the server to launch appropriate routines to service the particular Internet appliance.
In yet another aspect a method for configuring an Internet appliance, comprising steps of (a) pre-programming the Internet appliance having a network port with first configuration routines adapted to interact with a remote network configuration server having second configuration routines, the first routines including a network destination address; (b) connecting the Internet appliance by the network port to a compatible network; (c) providing an initiation signal at the Internet appliance, the signal causing the appliance to invoke the network destination address and to establish communication and initiate interaction with the configuration server; and (d) configuring the Internet appliance for Internet access by interaction of the first and second configuration routines.
In the method embodiment, in step (a), the network may be a connection-type telephony network and the network destination address is a telephone number. Further, the telephone number may be unique to the type of Internet appliance, and in step (d) the configuration server uses the unique number to launch specific configuration routines adapted for the particular appliance.
The present invention in various embodiments provides for the first time a system whereby Internet appliances may be quickly and easily configured for use without effort or trouble on the part of a user, and by doing so, significantly expands the market and usability of such devices.